The euro falls this Friday, while the dollar is strengthened in a climate of geopolitical uncertainty.
The single currency remains under pressure despite the reduction of political tensions in Italy. The 5 Star and League populist parties yesterday formed a government receiving the approval of the President. Meanwhile, in Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy finds himself facing a vote of no confidence this Friday.
EUR / USD shifts 0.04% to 1 1.1668 at 5:24 ET (9:24 GMT), recovering from a low of 1.1523 on Wednesday but still close to the six-month low.
The US dollar index, which tracks the trend of the greenback against a basket of six other major currencies, rises 0.09% to 94.03.
Investors are awaiting data on non-farm employment, often seen as an indicator of the health of the US economy, at 8:30 AM ET (12:30 GMT). Traders will pay close attention to compensation data and any indications that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates.
The Fed raised rates in March and should intervene twice more; the next increase is expected for the June summit.
Trade tensions persist after the US announces that it will proceed with import duties on steel and aluminum from the EU, Canada and Mexico, sparking fears of a real trade war. The three countries have declared that they intend to fight back.
The dollar rises against the yen, a traditional safe haven, with USD / JPY up 0.34% to 109.18.
The pound was down, with GBP / USD down 0.02% to 1.3293.
The Australian dollar is weak, with AUD / USD down 0.36% to 0.7541, while NZD / USD is down 0.21% to 0.6986
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